


Breakfast At Benny's

by DestielHardcoreLove, Swlfangirl



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Chef Benny Lafitte, Firefighter Dean Winchester, Fluff, Freeform, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-11
Updated: 2018-08-11
Packaged: 2019-06-25 22:57:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15650646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DestielHardcoreLove/pseuds/DestielHardcoreLove, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Swlfangirl/pseuds/Swlfangirl
Summary: The doorbell dinged behind him and he turned to welcome whoever it was when he got an eye full.  Usually, when he spotted Dean Winchester in his diner he was in his dark khakis and firefighter shirt that they all wore during their down times.  But now...he wasn’t sure he was seeing things right. The man had tousled hair, a grumpy look on his face and probably the most ridiculous PJ bottoms Benny had ever seen an adult man wear.  Batman.It had him chuckling as he walked over, “You doin alright Dean?” Benny grinned eyeing the pants again, “Cute PJs by the way.”“Coffee, please. And you’re damn right.” Dean said, still feeling a little miffed at his complete inability to sleep, or do his job, but at the moment it was definitely more the sleep thing. “Batman is awesome.”





	Breakfast At Benny's

Working swing shifts had been hell on his schedule, more often than not Dean found himself wide awake at three am craving breakfast. Normally he’d force himself to wait another three or four hours to have it at a respectable time but he’d pulled an overnight at the station, taken a fall, and was hurt _just_ enough that the doc refused to let him work for the next two weeks.

 

He felt fine, but something about a high impact job and blah blah meant Dean was pulled from the bench for a bit. The restlessness never seemed to leave him, whether he was working not but just the thought of not being able to do his job had him itching to move, to stay busy every minute.

 

Eventually, he gave up on trying to get back to sleep and crawled out of bed. He went to check the fridge but stopped halfway there, wincing at the memory that he’d meant to go shopping after work instead of being rushed to the hospital. Chief Vic was an overprotective bear when it came to everyone in the department, maybe a little more so with him because they’d also been friends since High School, which basically boiled down to Dean being completely unable to bypass the doctor part.

 

He promised himself he’d get back at the guy somehow, a friendly prank but he wasn’t letting it go. Dean _hated_ being on the sidelines.

 

Dean grabbed his keys and stepped out onto his porch. He got all the way to the Impala before he realized he was still in his pajamas. He considered going back in but then said ‘ _Fuck it,’_ and backed out. Benny wouldn’t give a shit what he looked like and it was the dead zone hours, who would even be out at 3- _no 4_ am.

 

Benny hummed along with the radio as he cleaned off the tables of his diner.  Being open for twenty-four hours had been a new thing, especially with the new highway being built. More truckers were filtering through and after getting a few complaints from not only the drivers but even the firefighters and cops in their town Benny quickly changed the times.  The only thing that sucked? He had to pull the overnights himself until he could find enough staff willing to work it instead of him.

 

The doorbell dinged behind him and he turned to welcome whoever it was when he got an eye full.  Usually, when he spotted Dean Winchester in his diner he was in his dark khakis and firefighter shirt that they all wore during their down times.  But now...he wasn’t sure he was seeing things right. The man had tousled hair, a grumpy look on his face and probably the most ridiculous PJ bottoms Benny had ever seen an adult man wear.  Batman.

 

It had him chuckling as he walked over, “You doin alright Dean?” Benny grinned eyeing the pants again, “Cute PJs by the way.”

 

“Coffee, please. And you’re damn right.” Dean said, still feeling a little miffed at his complete inability to sleep, or do his job, but at the moment it was definitely more the sleep thing. “Batman is awesome.”

 

“Mmhmm,” Benny chuckled again, going around the counter to pour some fresh coffee into the clean mug, “You want anythin to eat cher?” Benny asked putting the cup down and bringing over the little basket of sugars and creamers.

 

“In a minute,” Dean said, as he first took a sip of the coffee black. He moaned at the delicious bitter flavor that warmed his tongue and instantly relaxed him. With a few long inhales of the deep aroma, he finally felt like he was himself again, or at least mostly. “There we go, that’s better.”

 

“What you doin up this early?  Or...late?” Benny asked flinging the towel in his hand until it rested on his shoulder.  He refilled Dean’s up without being asked and leaned back against the counter.

 

“Couldn’t sleep, fell through the floor on the job and doc says I’m out for a couple weeks. It’s messin’ with me a little…” Dean said, the itch under his skin slowing the longer he was there, the warm, comfortable atmosphere of Benny’s always seemed to put him at ease. “Sorry man, you’re not a bartender, but I’ll take some food. Whatever you got I’m not picky, just make sure there’s a lot of it.”

 

“Don’t you worry about it.  You all risk your lives out there for us, least I can do is lend an ear.  I’ll make ya up somethin,” he said with a warm smile before heading into the kitchen.  Seeing as how Dean was his only customer so far for the overnight shift everything was still clean from when the night crew punched out.  He started up a stack of pancakes, a pan filled with sausages and bacon and another filled with his pre-diced potatoes. It never took him long to get a dish put together and the smells made him hum.  If he stole a piece here and there no one knew but him.

 

He got everything piled up onto several plates, including some biscuits he’d made from scratch earlier.  Dean was staring up at him with huge eyes and damn near drooling.

 

“You said to make sure there was a lot of it,” Benny grinned laying down the plates.  He had to go back to grab the last one and placed it next to the other two.

 

“Thanks, man...this is, this is great,” Dean said, feeling a little bit of heat on the back of his neck. He was so used to being the person who took care of other people, the last time he’d even let someone really cook for him, had been a long time ago. He grabbed a coffee or a burger at Benny’s a few times over the last couple months but it was usually only with other guys from the station.

 

This felt _different_ , more friendly...more intimate.

 

“Grab a fork and join me, I mean I’m good but no way in hell I’m cleaning all three by myself,” he said with a grin, trying to fight off the nervousness he felt along with his blush.

 

Benny chuckled, shrugging a bit, “Maybe I went a little overboard.  Then again, maybe I’m hungry myself,” he grinned, leaning down on the counter then snatching up a fork from an empty place setting.

 

“Sorry about your bum leg by the way, probably got you climbin the walls huh?”

 

‘Dude you have no-,” Dean groaned, the first bite of food passed his lips. He’d never had the biscuits and gravy but just one little bite that melted in his mouth and he was hooked, “Unghmygod‘so gud,” he said, his mouth still partially full of the warm, delicious taste.

 

“Why didn’t you tell me it was this good, screw coffee...I want more of this,” Dean said, as he dug in for another bite and moaned all over again.

 

Benny snorted, “I tried to ask ya but you went all zombie on me demanding coffee,” he said stabbing a few sausages onto his fork to nibble on.  Watching Dean practically devour his food made a fond swell expand in his chest. He loved taking care of people, even ones he didn't know that well.  It was just in his blood.

 

“Sorry,” he said, rubbing at the back of his neck once he’d slowed down to get another drink of his coffee. “It’s just been a rough night s’all. How bout you, how’s it workin’ the graveyard shift..doesn’t look like you get much business this early.”

 

“Don’t gotta be sorry darlin.  And tonight's been slow. Got a few EMTs in here a few hours ago but other than that just you,” Benny smiled.

 

Dean knew it wasn’t really intentional. Benny had this southern charm, flirtatious nature that kinda oozed off of him in a way. It had been unsettling at first until Dean got to know the man and realized that he was just pretty friendly with everyone. Though _darlin’_ that was new.

 

Maybe he was just reading too much into it?

 

Still, his heart seemed to skip a beat and his stomach swirled with nerves from one little word.

 

“Well at least I’m here to keep you company,” he said, though it came out a little more awkward than he’d planned. He was making such an idiot out of himself. “The food’s great,” he said, any chance to turn the conversation back onto something else would have been a valiant effort as far as he was concerned.

 

“I’m glad you came in tonight Dean, was getting lonely here myself,” his grin turning into something softer, “And thank you.  It don’t matter if I’m the boss, I still love getting back there and cooking,” he said with a slight little warmth spreading through his cheeks.  

 

“I don’t mind it myself, but nothing like this, though. I can do eggs and toast with some sort of meat fried up and it’s edible, good even, but not like this... And those biscuits man, they’re amazing,” he said, keeping the fact that his burger was better to himself. Afterall, the man had brought him three plates full of food, now was not the time to insult him.

 

They ate in silence a few minutes longer, giving Dean time to devour most of his plate and an added biscuit from the third dish.

 

“You should try my cajun.  Don’t have much of it on the menu though and that’s mostly stuff the other cooks can handle,” Benny chuckled.  He filled Dean’s cup again, draining the pot. Rinsing it out in the sink next to the beverage bar he got another batch underway.

 

“Cookings always been something of a passion of mine.  Though I’m a stubborn son of a bitch and very territorial when it comes to my menus, I did let some of the other cooks add somethin.  Now, don’t go repeatin this but the burgers are Garth’s,” Benny laughed.

 

“It’s not a bad burger…” Dean said, and the truth was of course, that it wasn’t. It just also paled in comparison to his own. A recipe he’d perfected over the last decade. With a smirk, he added. “But mine’s better.”

 

He pushed the rest of his plate away, stuffed to the gills except for the warm coffee in his hand at least, there would always be room for coffee. “I am stuffed, thanks Benny...that was, that was amazing.”

 

“No problem cher,” Benny smiled, pouring himself a cup once the pot was filled, “Maybe you can give that boy some tips or just a little brutal honesty?  He turns those cow eyes at me and I can’t say a damn bad thing about them. I know they’re terrible, hell probably why no one orders em,” Benny laughed a little.

 

“They’re really not that bad, Ben...just y’know, not the best thing on the menu. And no way in hell am I telling Garth _anything_ for you. Suck it up, buddy.”

 

Dean chuckled a bit, taking a drink of his coffee. He didn’t really want to leave but he’d finished eating and maybe Benny had better things to do with his time, not to mention it was nearly time for the early breakfast crowd and Dean was still actually in his pajamas.

 

“What do I owe you?” he asked, reaching into his back pocket to realize there wasn’t one. “Shit.”

 

“Gimme a second, I keep some cash in my baby, I’ll be right back.”

 

“Don’t worry about it darlin,” Benny said shaking his head, smiling when Dean scoffed at him, “I mean it.  Look, you kept me company and actually talked with me. I call that an even trade,” he smiled.

 

‘No, no I-” Dean said, but then something inside him told him to accept it, and it made him feel warm with satisfaction. Swallowing hard, “Okay, but only if you let me pay when I come back tomorrow.”

 

“Sounds good cher, go on and get some sleep,” Benny said with a warm smile as he started to collect up the dishes.  He’d let them soak and then wash in a few minutes.

 

* * *

 

When he finally woke up, Dean felt well rested, relaxed in a way he hadn’t in a long time. There was of course, still the itch to get back to work, but it wasn’t taking over his every thought anymore. He looked down at his pajama bottoms and smiled, god he must have looked ridiculous, but Benny didn’t even bat an eye. He supposed maybe the guy was used to seeing weirdos out at all hours of the night, nothing would phase him anymore.

 

There was a small smile on his lips as he stretched out and climbed out of his warm, comfortable bed. It stayed as he jumped in the shower, got dressed, and grabbed the keys to his baby. While he fully intended to keep his promise to Benny about coming back around later, he would still need some groceries and it wasn’t like he had anything else to do really.

 

Dean was down for burgers nearly all the time anyway, but the discussion he’d had with Benny only made it that much worse. He grabbed some ground beef and some real potatoes, was headed toward the dairy section for butter and sour cream when there was a small, familiar chuckle at his side.

 

“Seems you and I had the same idea darlin,” Benny said glancing into Dean’s basket.  He had his own cart filled with stuff for both his own fridge and the diner. On the top though was meat for the grill and other fixings he liked to add to his burgers.

 

Dean’s smile widened, “Well, it is a _really good_ idea,” he answered without even looking down into the cart Benny had in front of him. Instead, Dean was taken in by those bright blue eyes and the way the word _darlin_ danced across his skin like chills of anticipation.

 

He waited for a beat longer, made sure his breath wouldn’t stick in his throat and then spoke again, “Seems like a waste for both of us to cook tonight, why don’t you drop by my place and let me cook for you this time.”

 

Benny opened his mouth to turn him down, to say he had to work and whatever lame excuse he could cook up but none of them were sound.  He needed a couple nights off and had called his friend Andrea in to help him out. So really, he had no valid reason to say no. Just nerves racking up his spine.  He bit his lip and finally nodded, a smile creeping up on his face.

 

“Sure, I’d like that,” he said.

 

Dean gestured for Benny’s phone, adding his number first and then texting himself. He felt the familiar warmth that never seemed to leave him, spiking up his neck as he typed in the numbers.

 

“I’ll send you an address but if you need directions or anything just give me a call,” he said, though he felt Benny was a little uneasy, he didn’t draw attention to it.  He himself wasn’t as cool and relaxed as he wished. “I’ll have it ready about seven, but feel free to drop by anytime after six.”

 

Benny smiled brightly and nodded again, his eyes going over Dean’s name in his phone.  He hated the flutter in his chest, it always led him to disappointment and heartache but maybe this with Dean could possibly turn different.

 

“Anythin you want me to bring?  I make a mean peach cobbler,” he said with a sly grin, already knowing the man’s weakness for pie.

 

“Not tonight, I’ll take care of dessert too,” Dean said, though immediately flinched at how it sounded and where his mind had gone with the declaration. “I meant, uh, I’d already planned on making something. No way I’m depriving myself if I can’t even work for another two weeks anyway.”

 

Though he felt even more nervous than he had before, Dean gathered his courage and reached out to gently squeeze at Benny’s wrist. “Just let me cook for you this time, okay?”

 

Benny laughed softly, “Okay.  I’ll be there around seven. See you then darlin,” he grinned, loving the way Dean’s skin flushed each time he called him that.  Benny gave him a wink and continued on with his shopping.

 

Dean stood there staring at him as he walked away for a little too long before quickly gathering the rest of what he needed. He double checked everything in his mind because he knew that he wasn’t thinking at his usual level and he didn’t want to have to make the trip back.

 

When he got home, he patted out the meat and put it in the marinade quickly, making sure it would have the full four hours. Then he straightened up the house as best he could made sure everything looked good, that all the embarrassing stuff was put away; like the photo Sam found and had framed of him as a chubby little kid with a missing tooth.

 

Once everything was put away and everything was relatively clean, Dean got to work on himself. He took a long, soaking bath, a rare treat that he usually didn’t have the time for. When he finally finished with that, Dean stood in front of his closet and freaked out. He knew it didn’t make sense, the man saw him in his pajamas for Pete's sake, but Dean still spent a solid half hour changing clothes and hating every single piece he’d ever owned.

 

“Screw it,” he said to himself eventually and just grabbed the softest tee shirt he could find and a pair of old jeans that didn’t have holes.

 

It was still an upgrade from pajamas, right?

 

The twice baked potatoes were nearly finished and the burgers were ready to be flipped when he heard a knock at the door. He moved the skillet over and fought off the nervous twist of his stomach as he made his way to answer it.

 

Benny felt like a total moron.  He’d stupidly stopped on the side of the road on the way to Dean’s house.  There was a young woman selling handmade vases with beautiful wildflowers in them.  And Benny, being the romantic that he was, picked up the sunflower ones. This could very easily become humiliating if Dean laughed at the flowers because Benny was stupid enough to believe that maybe, just maybe, this was a date of some sorts.  There was no turning back now though, the door was opening and he was met with those breathtaking green eyes.

 

“Hey Dean,” he said blushing down to his toes when Dean’s eyes fell to the vase of flowers he had in his hand, “These uh...well...here,” he coughed out.

 

“Oh, uh-” Dean wasn’t quite sure what to say. He’d never actually gotten flowers before, granted most of his dates were female and he was the one giving out the gifts at the door, but still….it felt, _nice._ “Thanks, Benny...they’re, really..cool?”

 

He winced at how awkward he sounded, and then rubbed at the back of his neck. “Sorry, man. They really are cool, just nobody’s ever done anything like that for me before, kinda caught me off guard. Come on in,” he said, opening the door and stepping to the side.

 

He didn’t take the flowers until after shutting the door behind the large, gorgeous man. Though once he had, it felt even nicer. It wasn’t some standard bouquet that took a lot of money but little thought, it was warm and kind, just like Benny.

 

“No need to be sorry,” Benny said looking around the place before turning to smile warmly at Dean, “It was a whim and thought you might like em.  Smells good in here, need help with anythin?” he asked.

 

“I know that you’re itching to help but just grab a beer or something to drink and have a seat,” Dean said, flipping the burgers before he placed the skillet back onto the hot cap. He switched the oven to broil so that the cheese on top of the potatoes would get nice and bubbly, and then took a second to breathe. “Dessert is in the fridge, potatoes are loaded and almost perfect, and the burgers only need a few minutes on this side and we’ll be ready to eat. I hope you’re hungry cause I made plenty.”

 

“Oh I’m definitely hungry cher,” Benny chuckled heading over to the fridge to grab them both a beer, “Kinda skipped lunch so I could have enough room,” he snickered, twisting the caps off and handing one to Dean.  

 

“Well, I slept through it so, I’m not much better, No regrets though...and I might have snacked on the leftover potato filling,” he said with a shrug, feeling completely and utterly unapologetic about it. That shit was amazing.

 

Benny grinned, watching silently as Dean finished up dinner.  It smelled beyond amazing and his mouth was watering to try it all.  He was good and kept his fingers out of the food, preoccupying himself with his beer and small talk.  Finally though Dean deemed dinner done and even though Dean protested Benny at least helped carry some of it to the table.

 

“I think I need to hire you to teach Garth what a real burger is not only supposed to smell and taste like but look like as well,” Benny said.

 

“It’s a special marinade I perfected a few years back. I’ve had my fair share of burgers and let me tell you, this is probably the best one out of all of them,” Dean said with a laugh as he sipped at his beer. He lifted a brow, meant to say he was waiting for Benny to try it but the man just stared back at him. “Go on, give it a try.”

 

Benny took a small bite, just to taste and groaned loudly.  The meat practically melted against his tongue and his next bite was huge, filling his mouth and taste buds.  He was pretty damn sure his eyes crossed at some point as well.

 

“Oh ma gah,” Benny grunted around the mouthful of food.  He was going to need another one after this, he didn’t care if his first one wasn’t even finished yet.

 

Dean grinned, pleasure flooding through him. It had been too long since he was able to cook for anyone other than himself or the guys down at the station house. They all raved about his food but it wasn’t quite the same as it was cooking for Benny. He took a bite himself and chewed, the wide smile never leaving his lips.

 

“I know it’s good but don’t let your potato get cold either,” he said, once he’d finished chewing at least. The sounds leaving the man’s mouth weren’t exactly moans, but they had Dean’s motor going nonetheless.

 

All Benny could do was nod, if he tried to talk again the food was going to land everywhere and that just wasn’t attractive.  He managed to swallow down the food he had in his mouth and quickly scooped up some potatoes, “Holy fawk,” Benny moaned. He was going to embarrass himself even further when he was done and licked the plates clean.

 

Dean chuckled, scooping up a bite for himself. Normally with dates, if that's what it was at least, he felt uncomfortable and like he had to make small talk and bullshit. With Benny, everything felt easy, felt natural, he could just enjoy the warm, hearty compliments and even warmer company.

 

He could see the man trying to pull back, to talk but Dean just shook his head. “Don’t worry about it, we can talk later, just enjoy your food and I’ll do the same.”

 

Benny gave the other man a thumbs up and both of them chuckled.  He did try to slow down though, to savor it but he hadn’t tasted burgers this good in a long time.  The silence around them was comfortable where usually he’d be itchy under his skin. When he finally finished he sat back in his chair and groaned, his right hand rubbing at his stomach.

 

“God damn darlin, that was delicious,” he said with a dippy little smile.

 

Dean flushed a bit, the way Benny emphasized that word again made him feel hot all over. He wasn’t sure if it was just the newness of whatever was happening between them or his own nervousness about building something steady with a guy. He’d fooled around a few times, done things he liked and he didn’t like, but it had never occurred to him that he could try an actual relationship, not with a guy anyway. “You need a break before dessert or you think you can handle it now?”

 

“Oh as much as I would love to try whatever it is you made, gonna need a break,” Benny laughed, “And before you go on and try arguin with me, I’m helpin you clean up,” he said sternly, pointing his finger at Dean even though he was smiling.  It took a moment or two before Benny heaved himself from the table and did just as he said he would. Dean turned the radio on and both of them either hummed or sang along with the classic rock songs. Soon enough the kitchen was cleaned and Benny felt more than ready now for that dessert.  Even if the kind of dessert he was wanting wasn’t exactly food.

 

More than once Benny had purposefully moved around Dean, one hand on his hip as he reached around him to grab something.  It was all intentional just to see how Dean would react. Each time Benny did it, there would be a slight flush on Dean’s cheeks.  It didn’t help to answer Benny’s questions at all. And now he was wondering if he should just drop to his knees and thank Dean in a different way.

 

He hadn’t been sure, not really, not until Benny’s hands were on his hips and there was the slow drag of his fingertips along the small of his back. Straight guys, no matter how close, didn’t touch one another that way. It made him swallow hard but at least he knew he wasn’t reading it wrong. “Thanks for comin’ over tonight, Benny. It’s been awhile since I’ve been able to cook for a date, or anyone really. It felt kinda nice. To be honest, I’m not usually good with the whole, relationship thing but I-I think you’re a pretty cool guy and if that’s something you’d be interested in, well...I wouldn’t mind.”

 

Benny’s lip caught between his teeth as he smiled, “Oh I’m definitely interested sweetheart.  We can take things as slow or as fast as you need,” he said moving closer. His movements were slow but within a few steps, he had Dean slightly caged between his arms against the counter.

 

It wasn’t the guy or the moment, but something inside of him that felt a little weird at how things were going. He liked Benny, hell he liked him more than any of the guys he’d fooled around with. Maybe that was it, but it just seemed sudden.

 

Still...maybe just a kiss.

 

He let out a small, nervous chuckle and looked into those bright blue eyes. “Honestly, if you were another guy, another time, I might have let you just take me right here big guy, but...I like you and I’ll probably kick myself in the ass for this later but with you, I think we should take our time. Is that okay?”

 

Benny smiled warmly and leaned in to kiss Dean’s cheek, “Like I said, fast or slow, it’s up to you,” he whispered in Dean’s ear and moved just a fraction away.  He didn’t want Dean to feel pressured but also didn’t want the man to think Benny was suddenly rejecting him.

 

“Now...how about that dessert hmm?”

 

* * *

 

Benny swallowed hard.  This was okay, right? He hadn’t told Dean he was coming but Dean’s voice on the phone had been tired, upset.  So Benny had thrown together a meal for the station and some pie...well two actually. One for the crew and one well, the other one was just for Dean.  

 

He pulled into one of the lanes of the fire station, making sure he wasn’t blocking a truck.  A few of the guys came out with curious stares and many of them recognized him.

 

“Benny, man what you doin here?”

 

“Just uh...brought you all somethin,” Benny said and hurried around the car to open the trunk.  Revealing mounds of containers holding the food. The guys went berserk and eagerly helped him into the station.

 

“Where’s Dean at?” he asked, grinning as the guys tore into the containers.  Thankfully he’d seen this before and had Dean’s separate. He was pointed towards the living quarters and hurried through the door, finding Dean sitting on one of the beds.

 

“Hey darlin,” he called out.

 

“Ben?” Dean asked, sitting up immediately. “Somethin’ wrong?”

 

“Nah, just...you sounded-” Benny swallowed down his nerves, Dean didn’t look angry.  Just mostly curious, “I brought you some lunch, figured you hadn’t eaten yet. Brought some for the whole crew too, they’re inhaling it as we speak,” he laughed holding up the red and clear plastic container in his hand.

 

Warmth flooded through him and Dean smiled brightly. “You were...you were worried about me? So you brought food for the whole crew?” he asked, lifting his brow at the end.

 

He didn’t wait for Benny to answer, just sat the container down on the bed and stood quickly, throwing his arms around the man. A rush of air escaped his lungs as he clung tighter, just held Benny tightly as his labored breaths came a little easier. “You’re amazing, you know that? I don’t think I tell you that enough, Benny. You’re fucking amazing.”

 

Benny flushed but hugged Dean tighter, pressing his face in the crook of his neck.  They’d only been dating a few weeks now but he was already head over heels for the man.  True to his word he had let Dean call the shots and the speed of their relationship and even though some nights were a little more tortuous than others, Benny was happy.  

 

He pulled away just enough to peck at Dean’s lips and cup the side of his face, “Thanks cher,” he said softly, “You okay though?”

 

“I am now,” Dean said, a small smirk tugging at his lips, “Sit down, share this with me...or at least keep me company while I eat.”

 

He nudged Benny’s shoulder with his own when he finally did take a seat on the cot beside him and groaned at the tasty chili after he’d dipped one of the man’s homemade tortilla chips into it and pushed it into his mouth.

 

Dean had just about cleaned out the container when the alarm sounded, and he leaned in to kiss at Benny’s lips quickly, “Sorry, duty calls,” he said, lacing up his boots and pulling his jacket on in a hurried rush.

 

“I’ll call you later, Love you, bye.”

 

It wasn’t until he was on the truck racing down main street that Dean had realized what he’d actually said.

 

Benny sat on the cot, empty bowl in his hands as he stared at the doorway that Dean had disappeared through.  Did he say what Benny thought he said? Deciding to let it go for now, that if Dean meant it...he’d say it again.  With a deep breath, he got up from the cot and made his way home.

 

It was hours later that Benny found himself laying back on his bed, cell phone resting on his chest while he stared up at his ceiling.  Dean had messaged him like he promised, letting him know he was safe. Nothing mentioned of the four letter word. He’d been wanting to reply back for a few hours now but his brain had gone to nothing but white noise.

 

Though adrenaline was still racing through him, Dean crawled into bed and sighed to himself.

 

_Should he say something?_

 

_No, no that would just make Benny feel obligated to say it back._

 

He was somehow both surprised and unsurprised by how true the words felt to him. Dean had known they were getting closer, that he cared for Benny a lot, but going from like to love wasn’t something he usually did, let alone in just the span of a few weeks.

 

 _Message to Benny:_ Can’t sleep, you?

 

Benny read the message and found himself smiling.

 

 _Message to Dean:_ nah, been laying here for the past few just staring at my ceiling.

 

Dean chewed at his lip a little before he finally just gathered his courage and pressed the call button. It barely got out a full ring before Benny’s warm voice was on the other end of the line.

 

“Hey darlin, I know you said it was an easy one to take care of but you okay?” he asked, moving to sit up against the pillows a bit.

 

“Yeah, I’m good. It took us a while to get everything under control but nobody was hurt and nothing of value got destroyed. I’ve been tryin’ to tell Vic he needs to stay on the commissioner to get those warehouses tore down, but the city is givin him hell over it I guess.”

 

He rubbed a hand up and down his stomach, feeling a little antsy. “How about you, how’d your night go?”

 

“It was alright.  Everyone was watchin the news of course, making sure our boys got out okay and all,” he chuckled softly, “I got to go home early, thanks to Andrea I now have a good solid crew to work the overnights so I won’t have to do them so often now,” he answered with a sigh.

 

“That’s good, It’s good that you’re finally takin’ care of yourself, man.” Dean sighed, his stomach growling a little. The last thing he’d eaten was that small bowl of chili Benny brought him but that felt like ages ago after fighting off a warehouse fire for more than four hours. “Did you have dinner?”

 

“Um, does a handful of fries count?” Benny laughed, rubbing a hand down his face.  His stomach growled loudly as if to answer that no, it didn’t count.

 

“Nah, I don’t feel like cookin’ you probably don’t feel like cookin’, what do you say we meet at your place and let Andrea do all the work?” Dean said, a teasing tilt to his voice.

 

“Mmm, that sounds fantastic, especially since that woman makes a mean stack of french toast and that’s what I’m cravin right now, you wanna head out now then?”

 

“Tell me somethin’ first; Are you feelin’ brave? ‘Cause I’m in my pajamas and I don’t really wanna change, so join me?” he smiled, remembering the first time he and Benny had been alone together in that diner and how it had been the start of something, of everything.

 

Benny barked out a laugh, “Well now, I don’t have anything nearly as cute as your batman pjs but I’m definitely down for wearin PJs,” he grinned.  He did have a pair of pants that were beyond ridiculous and given to him as a gag gift several years ago. They were tight, pale blue with little rainbows all over them.  Benny shook his head and quickly changed into them.

 

“Well you sit tight, I’ll pick you up on the way and then if you want, after breakfast, we can come back here,” Dean said, his voice shook a little at the end but he was still sure in what he was offering. “Sound okay?”

 

“Sure thing darlin, I’ll be waitin for ya,” Benny said and then hung up the phone, the damn four letter word hanging right there on the tip of his tongue.

 

* * *

 

He greeted Benny as he always did, a soft, warm kiss that he didn’t pull away from until he had to breathe. For a while now, he’d been craving more, had wanted in a way he’d never wanted anything before. Dean had been a little scared though, hadn’t wanted to get too invested until he figured out if the crazy mess of feelings he had was at least partially mutual.

 

Though, Benny’s bit at the station kinda said that in his own way.

 

He put the car in reverse and headed toward the diner.

 

The silence was more uncomfortable than usual, but he knew why, or at least he hoped he was right.

 

“I did,” he said, earning him a confused look from Benny. “I meant it. I love you, Ben..it’s okay if it’s too soon and you’re not ready, but it doesn’t make it any less true.”

 

Benny’s chest squeezed, making it a bit difficult to breathe but it was in a good way.  He reached out for Dean’s hand and squeezed his fingers, “I love you too darlin,” he said quietly, too afraid to speak any louder and shatter the moment.  It never took them long to get to his diner and once the car was parked, Benny scooted closer. He cupped the side of Dean’s face and kissed him, “I love you so damn much.”

 

Dean grinned into the kiss, his lips moving to smile widely against Benny’s as they lingered in the small, close-mouthed press. When they eventually pulled themselves apart, Dean chuckled and said, “I had a feelin’ you might.”

 

Benny rolled his eyes fondly and shook his head, “Presumptuous brat,” he said stealing another kiss before he climbed out of the car.  He waited until Dean had Baby all locked up, taking his free hand once he was close enough, “You know my crew is gonna tease me to high hell for this right?” Benny grinned.

 

He shrugged, it was probably just Andrea and maybe one other person anyway. Normally the late shift Benny covered by himself, though whenever he wasn’t the one behind the counter, Dean noticed he tried to make sure he didn’t leave anyone there alone.

 

It was sweet.

 

“They’ll probably wait until I’m not with you,” he said, as he tried to hide his smile. “What I don’t have to listen to, won’t hurt me.”

 

“I see how it is,” Benny playfully glared at him, tugging on Dean’s arm to get them inside.  They were greeted by Andrea, Garth and one of their newer hires Krissy. The diner was busy but not to the point where Andrea couldn’t pull herself away to give them each a hug.

 

“Cute PJs boss,” Andrea snickered and eyed Dean’s as well, “Aw, is this like a pj date or somethin?”

 

“Or somethin,” Dean responded, squeezing tight around the girl. He’d been a little jealous when he first spotted her because he thought she and Benny were together, just the way they were around one another but it didn’t take long for him to figure out the truth.

 

“We’ll take a table full of breakfast foods, please. And a pot of coffee.”

 

“Sure thing,” Andrea said with a wink, going back into the kitchen herself.  Garth was great in the kitchen but there were just some things he couldn’t quite get.  Burgers and french toast. How the hell he managed to screw up french toast was beyond her but she didn’t mind cooking up a stack.  Especially not for two of her favorite men.

 

“Man if I were straight I’d ask her to marry me,” Benny snickered, slipping into a booth, “It amazes me I’m not fluffier than I am with not only your cookin but hers as well,” he said.

 

“Sorry, but you’re stuck with me and you work too much for that to really be an issue, though I wouldn’t mind buttering you up a little,” Dean teased, Benny’s bulk was one of the things he loved about the man. It just made him so comfortable, so warm, so perfect to curl up against. Though he hadn’t had the _full_ effect, he was looking forward to it.

 

Benny blushed a bit, “Well I don’t mind bein stuck with you, I kinda like you and all,” he teased back.  Krissy brought them a pot of coffee with two clean mugs, smiling as she turned on her heel to help another table.  They talked softly until the food was brought out, their table filled to the brim of sausage, potatoes, french toast, bacon and even a stack of Garth’s cinnamon apple pancakes.  Benny’s mouth was watering and he quickly dug in, scooping a bit of everything onto the clean plate Andrea had given each of them.

 

“This is the best idea ever,” Benny groaned around a mouthful of hash browns.

 

“Well I am a genius,” Dean teased, sipping at his coffee a little longer. It warmed him up all the way through and made everything feel just a tad easier. He watched Benny eat with enthusiasm and gusto and it gave him a completely different kind of warmth. Still mostly innocent and playful, but Dean was happy with the picture that made.

 

As he filled his own plate, but while his mouth was still empty, Dean smiled gently across the table. “It could be a regular thing if you wanted...PJ Breakfast at Benny’s.”

 

“Mmm, I’m down,” Benny groaned, “Especially if there’s cuddling involved after this,” he grinned wistfully.  He was a hardcore snuggler and wasn’t about to apologize for it. There was just something about laying on a couch after a good meal, holding someone close that put him at ease down to his toes.

 

“Yeah, cuddling..that might be on the table too, after sex.”

 

Benny sucked in a breath and began coughing, the eggs he’d put in his mouth going down the wrong tube.  He finally got it clear and drank some water before looking at Dean with wide eyes, “Wanna run that by me one more time darlin?” Benny asked roughly.

 

“Sex, you and me...if you’re interested.” Dean kept his voice low but it was loud enough to be sure that Benny heard. He’d been holding off for a while, felt like he needed to make sure the man was just as taken with him as he’d become over the last few weeks. It was a small gesture, Ben coming to the station like that, but it was enough to prove to him that whatever they were doing wasn’t temporary, not for either of them. “I’ll be honest, I was worried when we first started dating, that maybe I’d already dug myself too deeply. That you’d never catch up, or that it would take so long that I’d be miserable waiting for you to feel the same way. But now that I know you do, I don't want to wait any longer.”

 

Benny sighed softly, his foot coming into contact with Dean’s under the table, “Sorry I made you wait so long darlin, I’m here now though,” he said with a warm smile.

  


**Author's Note:**

> Please follow me on tumblr! 
> 
> https://bugandkitlove.tumblr.com/


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